Automobile lock means



March 25, 1930. K' BRAUNWG 1,752,282

AUTOMOBILE LOCK MEANS Original Filed Aug. 4, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1March'25, 1930. BRAUNING I 3,752,282

AUTOMOBILE LOCK MEANS Original Filed Aug. 4, 1926 4 Sheets- -Sheec 2March 25, 193%. K. A. BRAUNING AUTOMOBILE LOCK MEANS Original Filed Aug.4, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 25, 1930. K, A, BRAUMNG 1,752,282

AUTOMOBILE LOCK MEANS Original Filed Aug.- 4, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Imama 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs KARL A. BRLUNING, OI"BTAMFOBD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE'YALE In TOWN! 7 MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, OFS'DAMFORD, CONNECTICUT aurouomtn Locx' arms Application filedAugust 4, 1828, Serial No. 127,110. Benew ed August 18, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in locking means for automobiles,one ob ect of the invention being to provide simple and efiicient meanswhich shall be operable to i look the ignition, steering wheel and theclutch pedal at a single operation.

A further object is to shall be operable to eject the key should thesame be left in the look when the mechanism is being operated to lockthe several features.

of the automobile operating and controlling means.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in' certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafterset forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevationillustratlng my improve ments, the parts being shown in unlocked workingpositions;

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 22 of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Figure 1; v

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view partly in elevation and partlybroken away showing certain features of the mechanism when in lockedposition, and illustrating the application of the key ejecting means;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view partly insection and partly in elevationshowing the looking means for the steering rod and the clutch pedal, andcircuit breaking means for the ignition circuit; Figure 7 is atransverse sectional View on the line 77 of Figure 6; I

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 6';

Figure 9 is a view showing means for look ing the pedal lever and thesteering rod;

Figures 10 and 11 are sectional views illustrating different positionsof the cylinder lock and the key ejecting means; and

Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 are views showing certain details.

A portion of a dash board is shown at 1,

provide means which and has secured thereto, a bracket 2, through place,a bracket 8, which constitutes an abutment'for a spring as hereinafterexplained.

A steering wheel, as indicated at 9, is suitabl secured to the upper.end of the steering ro and to the lower portion of said rod (within thehousing 4) a toothed wheel 10 is secured, 1

and adapted to receive a dog or key 11 to lock the steering rod andsteering wheel. This locking dog or key is carried by a movable head 12and is movable in a longitudinally slotted portion of the housing 4 andcolumn 3, as indicated at 13, Figure 6; The bracket Sis formed on thelower end of a tube 14 and the screw 7, passing through this bracket,also passes'through the lower portion of said tube and the latter isthus secured to the housing 4. The tube 14 is slotted at 15 for theaccommodation of the dog or key 11,-and said tube is also slotted as at16 for a purpose hereinafter explained. The head 12 which is movablelongitudinally within the lower portion of the tube 14 is recessed forthe accommodation of a block 17 of insulating material carrying acontact plate 18 to cooperate with contact pins 19 secured to a block 20of insulating material carried by the tube 14. The contact pins 19 areincluded in the ignition circuit and the block 17 is pressed by a spring21 to insure proper contact of the plate 18 with said pins to close theignition circuit as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

It is apparent -however, that when the head 12 has been this arm on theshaft, it is provided near its lower end with a slot 29 having one endrounded to permit said arm to e slipped over the shaft 25 and the latteris flattened, as at 30, to be engaged by the parallel walls of the slot.A pin or key 31 may be emplo ed to secure the arm 28 to the clutchshaft. The cam or lo ckin arm 28 may be made flat and tapering and isprovided on its wider upper edge with a shoulder 32. When the cam arm 28is swung from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Fiure 6, its upper end will pass through the s 0t 16 and the shoulder 32will become disposed under the lower end of the movable head 12 and whensaid head is in the osition shown in Figure 6 (and looked a mustmovement as hereinafter explained), t e cam arm 28 cannot moverearwardly and hence the clutch shaft will be locked.

The head 12 is provided with a shank 12 which enters and is secured tothe lower end portion of a locking tube 33. The upper end of the tube 14is connected with a casing 34 and is secured, with said casing, to thesteering column, by means of the clamping bracket 2.

The cylinder 35 of a cylinder lock is lon gitudinally movable in thecasing 34 and the upper end of the locking tube 33 is connected with theplug 37 of this lock, as indicated at 38. The lock plug 37 carries a cam39 for retractinga bolt 40, which latter is projected by means of aspring 41 to cause 1t to engage under a shoulder 42 at the lower portionof the casing 34 when the parts are in the locking positions shown inFigures 4 and 6. When the parts are in normal or unlocked positions, thecylinder lock will assume the position shown in Figure 1. That is tosay, it will be projected upwardly from the upper end of the casing,bein caused to assume such position (when unlocked;1 by the action of aspring 43 engaging the ead 12 at the lower end of the locking tube 33and abutting against the bracket 8 at the lower end of the tube 14.

When the clutch lever is depressed, the cam or locking arm 28 will becaused to assume the position shown in Figure 6, with the shoulder 32disposed in alignment with the head 12. The operator will now press thecylinder lock inwardly from the position shown in Figure 1 to theposition shown in Figure 4 and the bolt 40 will snap into engagementwith casing 34 and thus secure the cylinder lock and parts connectedtherewith against movement. When the cylinder lock is moved inwardly asabove explained, the tube 33 (being secured to the plug of said 1001?will be moved downwardly and the hea 12 brought against or in closeproximity to the shoulder 32 on the cam arm 28, thus locking the latter,and consequently the clutch shaft, against manipulation by the pedallever. During the same downward movement of the tube 33, the contactlate 18 will be moved downwardly relative y to the contact pins 19 thusdisconnecting said pins and opening the ignition circuit. Dur- 1n thesame downward movement of the tu e 33,. the dog or keg 11 will be movedinto engagement with t e toothed wheel 10 on the steering rod 6 and thuslock said rod and the steering wheel.

From the above description, it will be seen that when the cylinder lockis Wardly, the steering wheel and c utch shaft will be locked and thatat the same time the ignition circuit will be opened, the engagement ofthe bolt 40 with the casing 34 looking the tube 33 and the parts movabletherewith; To unlock, it is simply necessary to insert a proper key 44into the plug of the cylinder lock and turn the same to release the bolt40, when the spring 43 will force the head 12, tube 33 and cylinder lockupwardly, thus unlocking the cam arm 28 on the clutch shaft, andunlocking the toothed wheel 10 on the steering rod, and moving thecontact plate 18 to position to bridge the contact pins 19 and thusclose the ignition circuit. The car is now in normal operativecondition.

Should the key 44 be left in the lock during the normal operation of thecar, it is desirable that its removal shall be insured when the lock ispushed inwardly to effect the locking of the various parts. To cause thekey to be ejected automatically when the lock is pushed inwardly, anejector 45 may be employed. This ejector enters the plug 37 of the lockand also the locking tube 33 and may be guided by the pin 38 whichenters an elongated recess 46 in said ejector. A spring 47 is attachedto the ejector and located within the tube 33, said spring having twoarms 48 and 49 to have friction engagement with the inner wall of saidtube. The inner tube 33 is provided with a slot 50 having a roundedportion 51 at its upper end and the outer tube 14 is provided wit-h aslot 52. A finger piece 53 carried by the arm 49 of the spring 47 passesthrough the slots 50 and 52, and a pin 54 carried by the same spring armis movable in the slot 50 in the inner tube 33 and adapted to enter thehole or rounded portion 51 at the'upper end of the slot 52 in the outertube 14 when the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 11. Thus itwill be seen that when the cylinder lock is in projected position, theejector 45 will be caused to be locked against movement by engagement ofthe pin 54 in the hole 51 in the outer tube 14. Should the cylinder lockbe now pressed inwardly (with the key in the plug of the lock), downwardmovement of the e ector 45 will be prevented and hence it will ejectedas the cylinder lock moves downwardl as indicated in Figure 4. In orderthat t e key may be subsequently inserted cause the key to be j ushedinmeaaea be move downwardly to the position shown in Fi ures 1 and 10.This may be readily accomp ished by depressing the'finger piece 53 torelease the pin 54 from the hole in the tube 14; and then downwardpressure on the finger piece 53 will cause the ejector to movedownwardly out of the way of the key.

-Having fully described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Lettors-Patent, is

1. In automobile locking means, the com bination with a steering column,and a clutch shaft, of a locking member supported by and movablelongitudinally of the steering column, a circuit breaker for theignition circuit, one member of said circuit breaker being carried bysaid locking member, an arm movable with said clutch shaft and having apart to be engaged by said locking member to lock the clutch shaft, andmeans for locking said lockin member.

2. The com ination with the steering means, ignition switch means, andclutch shaft means of an automobile, of operating means slidablysupported b the steering column for simultaneously loc 'ng all of saidmeans against operation, and means to lock said operating means.

3. In automobile locking means, the combination with a steering column,a steering wheel, a clutch shaft, a circuit breaker for the ignitioncircuit including a contact sup:

ported by the steering column, and a notched 1 member connected with thesteering wheel, of

a longitudinally movable locking member supported by the steering columnand carrying a member of said circuit breaker, a member movable with theclutch shaft and cooperable with the locking member to lock the clutchshaft, a part carried by the locking memberj and cooperable with saidnotched wheel to lock the steering wheel, and means for locking saidlocking member.

4. The combination with the steering'column and control means of anautomobile, of a' longitudinally movable locking member for locking saidcontrol means, support means for said member associated with thesteering column, and key controlled means adjacent to said steeringcolumn for lacking. said locking member, said key controlled means beingbodily movable longitudinally with said locking member and cooperablewith the support means to lock said member.

5. The combination with the steering column and control means of anautomobile, of

a longitudinally movable locking member for locking said control means,support means for said member associated with the steering column, andkey controlled means adjacent to said steering column for locking saidlocking member, said ke controlled means being bodily movablelongitudinally with said lock-- ing member and cooperable with thesupport means to lock said member, said key controlled meansconstituting manually operable means for moving the ockingmember tolockirelation to said control means.

6. combination with the steering column and control means of anautomobile, ot a longitudinallymovable locking member for locking saidcontrol means, support means for said member associated with thesteering col-.

umn, and key controlled means adjacent to said steering column forlocking said locking member, said key controlled means bein bodilymovable longitudinally with sai locking member and cooperable with thesupport means to lock said member, said key controlled meansconstituting manually operable means for moving the locking member tolocking relation to said control means, and a spring for moving thelocking member to unlocked relation to the contro means'and forprojecting the key-controlled means.

4 7. The combination with the steering column and control means of anautomobile, of a tube adjacent said steering column, a casing at theupper end of said tube, a locking member movable longitudinally in saidtube, a lock connected with said locking member and movable in andbeyond said casing with the locking member, and a locking bolt operableby the plug of the lock to lock the locking member to the tube.

8. The combination with the steering column and control means of anautomobile, of a longitudinally movable locking member for locking saidcontrol means, support means for said member associated with thesteering column, key controlled means adjacent to said steering columnfor lockin said locking member, said key controlled. means being bodilymovable longitudinally with said locking member and cooperable with thesupport means to lock said member, and means operable automatically whenthe keycona key from the lock.

. 9. The combination with the steering column and control means of anautomobile, of a tube adjacent said column, a casing at the upper end ofsaid tube, a cylinder lock mounted in said casin and movablelongitudinally, a locking mem er connected with the plug member of saidlock, a key ejector entering the plu member of the lock, means toremovably loc said ejector to said tube, and a looking bolt operable bythe plug of said lock.

10. The combination with the steering column and control means of anautomobile, of a tube adjacent said column, a casing at the uper end ofsaid tube, a cylinder lock mounted insaid casing and movablelongitudinally, a

locking member connected with the plug member of saidlock, a key ejectorentering locking bolt operableby the plug of and lock,

the locking means for the ejector com rising a s ring arm having a pinand said tu an loc ing member being slotted for the accommodation ofsaid pin and said tube having a hole to receive the pin, and a fingerpiece on said spring arm and movable in the slotted portion of the tube.

11. The combination with the steering column of an automobile, and asteering rod r0.- tatable in said column, of a toothed wheel secured tosaid steering rod, 9. tube adjacent to said column, a lon itudinallymovable looking member movab e in said tube, a cylinder lock at theupper end of said member, and a dog or key carried by said member forcoop eration with the toothed wheel on the steering rod.

12. The combination with the steering col,- umn of an automobile, and asteering rodrotatable in said column, of a toothed wheel secured to saidsteering rod, a tube ad'acent to" said column,a longitudinally mova 1elocking member movab e in said tube, a cylinder lock at the upper end ofsaid member, a dog or key carried by said member for cooperationwith thetoothed wheel on the steering rod, said locking member comprising'a tubeconnected at one end with theirotary member of said lock and a head atthe lower end, said dog or key bein carried by said head.

13. The com ination with the steering head and clutch shaft of anautomobile, of a cam arm movable with the clutch shaft, a locking membersupported by the steering column and coopera 1e with said cam arm tolock the clutch shaft, means for operating said locking member, andmeans for locking said operating means.

14. The combination with the steering column of an automobile, of a tubeadjacent thereto, a lockin member longitudinally movable in said tu e,locking member, insulated contact supported by;said. tube' and aninsulated contact plate carried by said locking member.

15. The combination with the steering column and clutch shaft of anautomobile, of a tube adjacent to saidcolumn, a locking memberlongitudinally movable in said tube, a lock for locking said lockingmember, and a v cam arm movable with said clutch shaft and having apartto be engaged by said longitudinally movable locking member. a 16. In avdevice of the class described, a

sliding cylinder lock movable from a looking to an unlocking position,.a.'key ejecting slide movable with said lock to its unlocking position,and means operative at the unlocking position for yieldingl againstmovement with t locking position.-

17. In a device of the class described, a cylinder lock adapted toreciprocate from locking to unlocking position, a ke ejecting slidemounted in the key way of sai lock and holding said slide e cylinderback to 1 ti on to another,

reciprocable'therewith to its unlocking tion, and means for preventinsai from reciprocating with theloc from said unlocking 'position tolocking position.

-18. In'a device of the class described, a ylinder plug lock adapted toreciprocate from lockin to unlocking position, a key e'ecting sli emounted. in the keyway of t e plug of said lock, said slide being freelyreciprocable with said lock to'its unlocking position, and yieldablemeans for preventin said slide from reciprocating with the loc fromsaidunlocking position to locking position.

19. In a device of the class described, a cylinder lock movable from oneextreme posia'key ejecting slide mounted in the keyway of'said lock,said slide being movable with said look from a particularone of saidextreme tion, and means tionto prevent with said lock in a reversedirection.

20. In a device of the class described, a cylinder plug lock movablefrom one extreme position to another,.- a key ejecting slide mounted inthe keyway of the plug of said lock, said slide being movable with saidlock from a particular one tions to the other position, and yieldablemeans operable at said other position, to prevent the slide fromreciprocating with said lock in a reverse direction.

I 21. In a lock, a reciprocating locking bar, a cylinder lock ada ted tolock the same in locked position, a ey ejector mounted in the keyway ofsaid cylinder lock, said key ejector being movable relatively to saidreciprocating locking bar and cylinder to eject the key when the bar, isreciprocated to locked posipositions to the other posioperable at saidother position. a lock for locking said 22. 111 a lock, a hollowreciprocating locking bar, support means for said bar, operated cylinderlock fixed to said bar and adapted to lock the same in locking position,a key ejector mounted in the keyway of said cylinder and having aportion extending into said hollow locking bar, means on said supportfor cooperating withthat portion of the ey ejector mounted in thelocking bar to hold said ejector against movement whereby to eject thekey when the locking bar and cylinder are reciprocated to lockingposition. In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

. KART A. BRAUNING.

the slide from reciprocating.

of said extreme posiakey

